Review Blog

Feb 05 2014

These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

The Starbound Trilogy, bk 1. Allen & Unwin, 2013. ISBN:
9781743318522.
(Age: 16+) Highly recommended. Lost in space. The nightmare of a
society ever curious about space travel.
Stranded on what appears to be an abandoned planet after the Incarus,
luxury space-liner falls out of hyperspace mid-journey, Tarver
Merendsen must once again prove his worth as a soldier in order to
survive and keep Lilac LaRoux, daughter of the leader of one of most
influential corporations of the age, safe from harm. The planet
appears to be in the final stage of terraforming but something is
different, the usual flora and fauna introduced during terraforming
are supplemented by unknown, and possibly dangerous plants and
creatures. Tarver Merendsen has his work cut out for him as he
attempts to lead Miss LaRoux across jungle and mountains to the site
of the Icarus's crash where there are surely rescue teams
scouring the wreckage for survivors. Despite her airs, Tarver soon
learns that Miss LaRoux is more than just another dainty upper-class
girl as she uses her ingenuity to keep both herself and Tarver
alive. Their fate rests on a desperate hope of rescue before the
madness of the planet can set in.
Written for a mature audience These Broken Stars is a
romantic science fiction with remarkably vibrant descriptions and
sophisticated language use. I would highly recommend this to young
people over the age of sixteen with even a remote interest in either
genre. Focusing on the main idea of trust in oneself and others, it
also conveys a message of doing what is right despite the
consequences.
Kayla Gaskell (age eighteen)